Housing Our Workers

While all city and county planning departments have demonstrated a good understanding of the new State housing laws and the need to facilitate more housing, the failure to do so in a timely manner has served to further decrease the availability of housing and further increase the need and cost of more housing.

With the planned growth of UCSC to 28,000 students, the potential demand for off campus housing for students, faculty and staff has the potential to make the affordable housing problem even worse.

The County of Santa Cruz has identified several sites for higher density housing, identified sites along transportation corridors for housing and changed zoning laws to allow more mixed use developments, however in the past several years, few low income homes have been built or approved.

Capitola has made little progress towards achieving housing goals, particularly for low income housing. Although the City identified sites for mixed use developments, they have made little progress towards developing those sites.

Capitola has focused primarily on streamlining the construction of ADUs as a means to increase housing. However, there is little evidence that ADUs are prioritized for rental to local workers, and there is little chance that ADUs alone can meet the housing needs for the 6th Cycle Housing Element.

Capitola and the County of Santa Cruz need to work together to facilitate significant housing in the mid-county area where a large percentage of jobs are located.

The City of Capitola has made little progress towards facilitating the development of the Capitola Mall as a mixed use project which could accommodate both business and housing.

The City of Capitola claims to have significantly fewer resources to attract housing planners and builders than do the bigger municipalities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville and the County of Santa Cruz, but that does not mean the City should be exempt from the need to construct housing for local low income workers.

The City of Scotts Valley has facilitated the building of market rate housing in recent years, but has made little effort to develop housing for low income workers. Housing Our Workers published June 2, 2023 2022-2023 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 205

The City of Scotts Valley has made little progress towards developing the Town Square project which could accommodate both business and housing.

The City of Scotts Valley claims to have significantly fewer resources to attract housing planners and builders than do the bigger municipalities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville and the County of Santa Cruz, but that does not mean the City should be exempt from the need to construct housing for local low income workers.

While all local municipalities have voiced support for prioritizing housing for local workers, only some of them have clear local preference guidelines that give some priority to local workers. Without clear guidelines and incentives, new housing is more likely to be purchased by those who do not live and work here.

All municipalities are trying to identify and facilitate the building of housing projects, but most of that is done independently of the other municipalities or with outside partners. Since workforce housing and transportation gridlock is a county-wide problem, all county municipalities need to work more closely together and with property owners to develop housing solutions.

All municipalities are trying to identify and facilitate the building of housing projects, but most of that is done independently of the other municipalities or with outside partners. Since workforce housing and transportation gridlock is a county-wide problem, all county municipalities need to work more closely together and with property owners to develop housing solutions. __ AGREE __X PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): Please see response to F13 above. Invited Response from the Director, Santa Cruz Community Development Housing Our Workers Due by August 31, 2023 2022-2023 Consolidated Final Report with Responses 305